Alive: Star Wars (#Wattys2014)

Part Three

“Prepare for landing.” Darth Vader told his troops through the comm at the pilot seat.  He shifted a little as he gently moved the yoke downward, the ship pushing through the clouds and revealing Naboo underneath.  Waterfalls surging around them and the greenery was abundant, the palace reflected of the sun’s light in the distance.  Most would be awed by this beauty, but Vader just looked away. He continued flying the ship and looked for an hidden area to land.  He let the force guide him and he gently landed the ship in a secluded area, near the gungan swamps so no rebels would spot the ship with imperial marking all over it.  When he heard the feet of the ship thud against the mossy ground, he flipped off a couple of switches and rised from his chair. Vader walked out of the pilot area and walked down the frontal ramp with storm troopers trailing behind him.  He took a deep breath and sighed, this was definitely the Naboo swamps.  Even with his thick suit, the humidity was tangible to all.

“Come on, the base is three klicks away, we will be there in no time.  Follow my commands and don’t go out of your way to make a scene, got it?” Vader asked the small trooper squad he brought with him.

“Yes Lord Vader.” They all chanted.

“Good, once we get over and above this hill, we will be in a more modern part of Naboo. If our spies were correct, the base should be directly ahead.” Vader mentioned and started walking up the hill and his troopers followed suit.

In a matter of minutes, Vader and the stormtroopers were walking right in the middle of the city of Theed, heading towards the building that was suppose to be the base. Vader noticed that even though the streets were oddly empty, he sensed a substantial amount of people up ahead in the building.  As he got a little closer, reaching out into the force, he abruptly stopped, he sensed someone familiar in that room.  He couldn’t tell who or what it was, but he knew he had been around that person or object countless times before, before the dark times.  

“Are you alright, my lord?” ST-7567, Rex, asked. Vader put his hand up to his masked forehead but nodded. He began to walk again, quieter now due to the fact that they were a couple of meters away from the door that led into the base. Vader opened his mouth to give directions to his troopers when the door to the base suddenly opened, revealing a cloaked woman.  She jumped back, startled at the people waiting outside the building, her hood moving back on top of her head, now showing her brown eyes and a limited view at her facial features. The young woman froze and the troopers raised their guns, ready to shoot.  She stared at Vader and the stormtroopers but Vader stood in complete silence, gawking at the impossible possibility in front of him.  He wanted to cry, to yell, to destroy, to rejoice, to smile.  But he only did one of those things, a smile spread across his face, hidden under his mask. The young woman’s eyes were filled with curiosity, bravery and terror, and just in that moment that Vader was going to speak, she darted left and ran. The stormtroopers fired but Vader quickly signaled them to cease fire.

“Rex, Shines, after her!” He yelled. “Don’t shoot! I want her alive!”

“Yes, my lord!” They both echoed and ran off after the woman. Vader turned around and faced the couple of stormtroopers left.

“Stay right here! If anyone comes out, hide. Do not engage, I am going after that woman.” Vader commanded.  The troopers exchanged glances with each other but nodded and Vader ran off.  He felt Rex and Shines in the distance, still running.

“Man, she can run.” He thought and continued to follow the two stormtroopers through the force. Vader tried to concentrate on the force but thoughts invaded his mind, which made it impossible for him to concentrate fully.  

“She was… is she… those brown eyes… two years ago… living… dead.”  Words, phrases, memories ushered in his mind without a filter. Vader started to breath faster as these thoughts overcame his entire body and he stopped, dead in his tracks. Guilt whispered atrocities in his ear. Breathing heavily, he looked down, the feeling of nausea washed over him. Under his mask, where no one could ever see, a tear trickled down his scarred cheek.